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building woodland trails

Started by davidlarson, August 09, 2009, 09:44:54 PM

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davidlarson

I'm hoping to retire in about 6 months, and to spend a lot of time working on my 75-acre tract in western NC.  This land is mostly forested, at elevation about 2750 feet, consisting of nearly pure stands of eastern white pine interspersed with mixed hardwoods, not logged for more than 40 years.  One project is to build trails through these woods, which  might serve several purposes:
1.   access trails to allow selective logging - I am learning to use an LT40 Woodmizer.
2.   recreational hiking trails
3.   access roads in case of fire
4.   trails to permit access to river frontage, or to parts of this land that have otherwise so far been inaccessible.
5.   access for timber stand improvement and better forest management
I have available some of the appropriate tools - Kubota 4WD 29 HP tractor, brush hog, box scraper, chain saws, loppers, Kubota RTV900, LogRite T36 Log Arch, logging chains, materials for shooting stumps (heh, heh -- if you know what I mean).
I failed to find any information on this subject with the search function.  Do any of you have experience with this kind of project, or know of any sites with information about this?  Many thanks for whatever help you can provide.

David

tyb525

I'm you could get some clearing done with a chainsaw, but thats a lot of bending over. A brush saw would probable be better, or a flail-type mower for your tractor. A brush hog will cut small trees but anything over 3 inches takes a light touch, for me anyways, and I have a 6ft mower with 60hp tractor. My blades aren't always real sharp though :D

I would recommend a brush saw or flail mower, but I'm no expert. I know there are loggers and people like you that have cut many many more trails than I.

If you want a real smooth trail, thats where the box scraper will help. Otherwise I wouldn't think much leveling would be needed for hiking trails
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Tom

There are several threads on trail breaking and preparation.   Phorester, a forester member, works with the Boy Scouts on projects like this.  Maybe he will see the post.

It sounds as if you have plenty of equipment.  The only suggestion I can provide is to go slow, work smart and make sure that you have identified everything you cut down.  It's embarrassing to later realize that you cut down a switch that would have made a high-dollar tree in favor of a larger weed.

Ironwood

Should be plenty cool at that elevation, and possibly ROCKY.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Ron Scott

A good sources of Information on Trail Building is the USFS Trails Handbook.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/download/hep/fspubs/pdf00232839.pdf

Establish the objectives of your trail, consider the landscape's ecosystem, lay it lightly on the land on suitable soils and drainage. Stay out of Hydric soils, use best management practices. Only build the amount of trail needed to meet your objectives, since trails do take forest land out of production.




~Ron

woodtroll

I'm with Ron.
Plan your trail system ahead. Avoid steep inclines if possible. Build with good drainage, a little extra effort here will reduce trail maintenance later. Learn about rolling dips, water bars and ditches. Do not build bigger(wider) then you will need.

davidlarson

Thanks, Ron Scott, particularly for the reference to the USFS publication about trail building, and the useful cross references.  They provided a very good place to start.  My only  problem was the author's insistence on metrication - his word for forcing a change to the use of the metric system.  That change is tough for a nearly 70 year old mossback like me.  One of my friends who shares my view has modified the speedometer on his European car to indicate his car speed in furlongs per fortnight!  Anyway, thank you for the information.
David Larson

wolfram

Here is another interesting link for you on wetland trail design and construction.  Nice companion to the great handbook link provided by Ron.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/01232833/toc.htm

Phorester

I haven't looked at the other links, so forgive me if I'm repeating info that is there. Hard to give specifics without seeing your site, but a few generalities to keep in mind with hiking trail building. First, plan it out on a topo map before you build to plan grades, stream crossings, to reach areas you want the trail to showcase, etc.  You will save a tremendous amount of frustration and relocating efforts. 

1 - Avoid both ridgetops and stream bottoms. Trails on each won't drain and of course the stream bottom will be soft, soft, soft.  Side slopes are actually better locations for trails.
2 - Plan before you build. 
3 - Keep grades to less than 10%.  5% max. is better.  Hard to walk steeper grades than 5% for very long.  Use switchbacks if necessary to keep under the 5% max. Use fencing, debris piles, whatever, to keep people from shortcutting the switchbacks.
4 - Plan before you build.
5 - Approach stream crossings at right angles.  Use water bars to get rainwater and snowmelt off the trail several feet from the stream. Better yet, have the last few feet of approaching trail  go upward to the stream crossing if possible, rather than down or level.
6 - Avoid building bridges in remote isolated areas. Hard to maintain there.
7 - Plan before you build.
8 - Walking trails should have a treadway of 2 feet wide minimum for comfort.  Use cuts and fills where necessary.  Use cribbing to hold in fills.
9 - Plan before you build.
10 - Might not be a bad idea to mark the trails for people who aren't used to hiking.  Easy for a neophyte to get lost in the woods even on a trail.  Use different colors for each trail all the way for the entire length of that trail.
11. - Plan before you build.

One last thing - plan before you build.

SwampDonkey

On my lot, my trails are all for hiking and just observing how the trees are doing. Not all sections are easy walking in the summer and fall because of wetness with rainfall. Best walking is Dec-March on frozen ground. My trails were pretty much determined by skid paths and an old winter road during logging. So I just brush them back a little with my brush saw once in awhile. I'm letting them close in a bit because I like a foot trail not too wide. Once the growth gets tall enough the limbs prune up and you can see a few feet off the trail. Surprising how the moose will also keep a trail brushed back with their browsing and rubbing habits. My trails aren't meant for anyone with bad knees or weak ankles. Never have to worry about meeting anyone on the trails since most people won't leave a road they can drive on. One time I had a peace officer  walk my winter paths, which was a surprise. I knew he was there, but I met up with him to see what the devil he would be walking my trails for. I had so many trails that he couldn't really follow them too well and they all just basically circle around the lot in different sections. You never see a cop up here, so it makes me suspicious of a conspiring gossupie neighbor type.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

gemniii

I'm doing the same in several places and have or am about to get similar equipment.
Some suggestions:
Get aerial photos google national seamless and usa photo maps  also bing bird's eye if it covers your area.
Plan where you need to put temporary shelter for your equipment
Look into a zig zag type yarder to get the lumber out w/o destroying the soil
Check out a backhoe for your tractor or an excavator, there's always that stump right in the middle of the trail, a place to be filled in etc.

Ironwood

Wonder if you could rent one of those shredders that, well shredds everything and mounts on a skidloader (on steriods), looks like a REALLY efficent way to do it. See this link, and look at the small one on the ASV tracked skidloader,


http://www.rutlandmulching.com/?gclid=CP6V-uvq_JwCFVlM5Qodrz91bQ





Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Jasperfield

If you're in or near Spruce Pine you'll have trail grades to certainly exceed 10%. I'd try to find a good used small excavator to build the trail and to push over trees. You can also use it to collect rock for building retaining walls, etc.

SwampDonkey

Excavator roads sure are nicer than dozed ones. Why I say that is that in our area a dozer road on a woodlot is basically peeling off the top of the soil down to hard pan turning it into instance ditch in the wet season. Also your left with great big berms making a mess of the woods and the land. We thin a lot of brush along road side and it's a much easier task when the road was excavated. All that trash and rock is buried. If dozed the lower side of the road is a nightmare on a side hill. A road needs to be built up and ditched if you want to have a decent travel surface. I know, getting away from the trail. But, the excavator is much better machine as stated previous.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

davidlarson

Thanks for keeping this thread going.  My retirement has been officially announced, so it will actually take place on February 28, 2010 (just about 4 months from now).  When I was in the Army, we would call this period short timing.  Here in Spruce Pine fall is ending now -- that is, most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, so now it's much easier to see through the woods, to design trails, and also to find standing or fallen dead trees to cut up for firewood.  I can hardly wait for another 4 months to pass!

David

Tom

Get yourself some new boots and gloves.  You will have never worked as hard as you will in retirement.  :D

crtreedude

Quote from: Tom on October 28, 2009, 11:01:00 PM
Get yourself some new boots and gloves.  You will have never worked as hard as you will in retirement.  :D

Boy, ain't that the truth!

One key in trail building when you are retired and it is your first time. Give yourself a break and don't try to see how much you can do in a day, but see how good you can learn to be with the tool. One mantra I repeat to myself often is "you have all the time you need". Having had nearly 40 years of always rushing trying to get as much done as possible as fast as possible, it takes a bit of doing to learn to mosey.

For hiking trails, the common tools for us is a machete and shovel. We make cookies out of very hard wood like corteza for steps. It is really amazing how much you can do in a short period of time with just that, especially if the person swinging the machete isn't me.  :D

But I am getting better.
So, how did I end up here anyway?

SwampDonkey

Cr, when did you ever retire? :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Magicman

I now have over 7 miles of ATV/tractor trails on 550 acres.  This has taken several years (since retirement) and I'm sure that more will be added.  Terrain and erosion usually dictates where to and not to place trails.

The grandkids really have a good time on our annual 4th of July rides..... :)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

crtreedude

Quote from: SwampDonkey on October 29, 2009, 04:52:34 AM
Cr, when did you ever retire? :D :D

Well, I am supposed to be...  :-[
So, how did I end up here anyway?

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